Las Vegas vs. cities with casinos

Several cities tried to imitate Las Vegas. I don't want to rewrite sociological and economical studies which were made on this topic, so I'll go straight to the point.

Las Vegas is the American city. It's the youngest example of the gold rush. Las Vegas stands from the middle of the desert, it's constatly reiventing itself (well, Las Vegan as Steve Wynn are reshaping it day by day), it's shining and it's profitable. Las Vegas is possible only here and nowhere else in the world, maybe even in US.

Think about Atlantic City. If you were there, you spot the difference in a second. Atlantic City was the first area to legalize commercial gambling outside Nevada. But Las Vegas is younger than its NJ counterpart: the Strip has been redesigned during the '90s and great projects are coming soon, while Atlantic City Boardwalk is almost '80s style.

Think about European casinos. Montecarlo, Nice: gorgeus casinos, but they are stucked in the "ancient regime". Las Vegas casinos compete to host you: comps, low cost - rich buffets, singing stars and shining clothes. French casinos often require you to dress-to-impress your fellow players, otherwise you are left in a box-sized room with slots and you cannot even see the real action.

Think about the scent of freedom you find all around Vegas. There's something for everyone. If you are a highroller and you like to astonish the vips with your tuxedo, you can go to exclusives card rooms; if you want to put your baseball cap on and throw hot dices, just go to a craps table. You can choose what to do, where to do, with whom to do. You can even bet on sport events while waiting to delight yourself from one buffet to the next!

If you have already visited a city with casinos, give a try to Vegas. You'll miss the Strip when you are back home but - ehy - you had the time of your life and you may even get famous sharing your pics with other LVConfidential.com readers! :-)